


Sleeping Beauty

by IvanW



Series: Star Trek Fairy-tales [4]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: 10 year age difference for this story, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Bones is an Android, Comedy Elements, Cursed, Disney Inspired, M/M, Prince James - Freeform, Prince Spock, Romance, Royal Vulcans, T'hy'la, Valentine Elements, love's first kiss, sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-09 14:09:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13483095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvanW/pseuds/IvanW
Summary: Prince Spock of Vulcan is cursed by the magical, mysterious, Maleficent, to sleep forever.





	1. Eternal Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> My goal is to have this finished by Valentine's Day

Once upon a time in the far off kingdom of Vulcan lived a King, Sarek, and his human wife, Amanda.

Though their marriage had been arranged between the then rulers of Vulcan and Terra when they were only children, it was widely spoken that theirs was a love match. That they’d met officially as teens and had developed feelings for each other. When they’d married as young adults, everyone had been able to see the deep love between them.

Having a child became a treasured wish for both the king and the queen and though years passed, they remained childless. Eventually they sought advice from all over the galaxy and when a magical creature from a mysterious planet arrived, Sarek and Amanda desperately accepted her help. She called herself Maleficent. And she proved to be very powerful.

Soon Queen Amanda conceived a child and the King and Queen were beyond happy. Maleficent said that one day she would return and seek something as repayment when she did, but Sarek and Amanda paid little attention to her words as they were about to have a son.

They named him Spock and he was perfect.

When Spock was a child of ten, King Sarek and Queen Amanda took the boy to Terra as their friends, King George and Queen Winona, had just had their own son, their second one, this one called James.

Spock was brought over to see the infant boy but he was not much impressed. The baby human smelled and cried constantly.

“Well, yes, Spock, that’s what babies do,” his mother explained with a patient smile. “But look. He’s so sweet. And those blue eyes. So striking.”

Spock peered into the crib once more but he still was not terribly impressed. He spotted a great amount of drool coming from the infant’s mouth onto his chin and clothing.

“He is slobbery.”

“Oh, Spock! Come on then.” His mother pulled him away from the baby and Spock was not too unhappy by that.

Shortly after they returned to Vulcan, Maleficent appeared in the throne room. Sarek and Amanda were startled by the appearance of the mysterious female as they had all but forgotten her in the past ten years.

“Good evening, your Majesties,” she declared as she approached them, her dark capes whipping around her. “I trust you are pleased with the gift I gave you.”

“Gift?” Sarek asked.

“Your son. Beautiful boy.”

“You-you have seen him?”

“I have. A remarkably boy,” she told them. “And very smart. You had ten wonderful years with him.”

Amanda recoiled. “What does that mean?”

“I did say I would come back and demand my payment, did I not?”

“Yes, but—”

“I wish to take Spock with me,” Maleficent advised. “He will spend the next ten years with me.”

“No! Sarek, do something.”

“We will not allow you to take our son.”

She arched a brow. “We had an agreement.”

“We never agreed to that. Sarek?”

“Seize this creature and have her imprisoned,” Sarek commanded his guards.

The magical creature backed away. “So that’s how it is to be, is it? Then know this. When Spock is sixteen he will look upon the screen of a computer and fall into a deep, endless sleep.”

“”No!”

“Seize her!”

But Maleficent turned into the figure of a great raven and flew away. For a moment everyone remained frightened, but eventually they convinced themselves she was merely mad and there was nothing to her threats.

Still, when Spock was about to turn sixteen, Sarek commanded that all computers be locked away, hidden from their son, not to be taken out again until Spock turned seventeen, when it was presumed he would be safe from the magical creature’s curse.

That same year, they learned that King George of Terra died after a grave illness, leaving Queen Winona to rule the country. Her young sons, George Samuel, at eleven, and James, at six were far too young to handle the task themselves.

King Sarek and Queen Amanda went to Terra for the funeral and they brought the young Prince Spock with them.

“There he is,” his mother pointed out to Spock. “There is Prince James, Spock. Do you remember him?”

Spock observed the six year old blond child fidgeting in his seat as he sat next to his mother on the left, while an older blond boy, sat next to the queen on the right. The child’s blue eyes were wide and almost neon in his pale face.

“I do not,” Spock replied.

“The last time you saw him he was just a baby. He’s grown so much.”

Spock had little interest in the small human prince. “Mother, may I find the bathroom?”

“Of course you may.” His mother smiled.

Spock exited the large hall filled with the grief stricken mourners and went down a long stone corridor. He found the right place and after he did what was necessary, he washed his hands, and exited.

Down at the end of the corridor, he spotted Prince James running into a room with a very ornate door. There appeared to be no one with him. Spock doubted the child would be allowed to roam around by himself, so he headed in that direction.

“James? Prince James? Where are you? You should not be down here without supervision.”

Spock pushed open the ornate door.

Sitting at a computer was the small boy. His face was flowing with the reflection from the screen as he glanced over at Spock. “Hi!”

“You are not supposed to be here by yourself,” Spock admonished.

“But look!” And the blond boy pointed to the screen.

On Vulcan, Spock was not permitted to access computers. They were kept hidden away from him. His father had informed him he would receive one as a gift when he turned seventeen. But that seemed so far away.

Spock stepped over to the computer where Prince James sat. He bent over it and a flash of light shafted out toward him. Spock stared into the light and then fell to the floor.

King Sarek and Queen Amanda, filled with a deep sorrow, took their son home to Vulcan. No matter what they did, nothing woke Spock up.

Their friendship with Queen Winona and her sons ended as they could not help but feel the young Prince James had somehow lured Spock to his fate.

For the next fourteen years, Spock lay in a chamber in a castle on Vulcan, seemingly eternally asleep as the evil creature, Maleficent, had once predicted. And the young Prince James, now twenty, was forbidden from ever going to Vulcan…


	2. Prince James

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did manage a second chapter before my vacay, now I really am done. Will return in a week

_14 Years Earlier_

 

Jim was so bored. He hated sitting still even next to Mama. And every time he tried to look around the room, she would make him look forward. Everyone was crying and it made him feel icky. He knew it had to do with Daddy. He wasn’t coming back. Sam told him Daddy was a goner, but Jim wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. But he did know Mama had said it was just the three of them now.

 _Jim_.

Jim looked around, trying to figure out who was calling him.   

 _Jim_.

A lady’s voice. She sounded so nice, too.

 _Jim, come_.

He scooted off the chair and with a quick glance at his brother and mother, he hurried away. They were paying attention to whatever the man in front of them was saying.

He managed to push open the doors and go out into the corridor.

 _This way_.

Jim walked down the corridor and then stopped when he saw a very tall lady wearing all black. She was very pretty and wore a weird headdress thing on her head.

“Hello, Jim.”

He liked her because she called him Jim instead of James, like so many others did. He preferred being called Jim.

“Hi. You’re really tall.”

She smiled. “Yes. My name is Maleficent.”

Jim bit his lip. “Male-Male…ah.” He blew out a breath. “Can I just call you pretty lady?”

Her smile widened. “Of course you can, Jim. Would you like to come with me?”

“Sure.”

She put her hand on his shoulder and led him down the corridor. “We’re headed in there.”

At the end was an ornate door. Jim had seen it before but Mama always told him to stay out. But if Pretty Lady said it was okay, it probably was.

The door opened and he ran in. There was a large console with a glowing screen.

“Do you like computers, Jim?” she asked.

“Yeah! I don’t get to touch them too much.”

“You can definitely touch this one.” She pulled out the chair for him. “Sit down, my boy.”

Jim scrambled onto the chair.

“You like games, Jim?”

“I sure do.”

Pretty lady petted his hair. “You are such a sweet boy. You can play that game there on the computer.”

“Cool,” he exclaimed.

“James? Prince James?”

Jim frowned as he glanced at the door. Someone was calling him. The voice was male and unfamiliar. He looked over to where the Pretty Lady stood but he didn’t see her.  

“James? Prince James? Where are you? You should not be down here without supervision.”

The door opened and a Vulcan entered. Jim remembered they had come because of Daddy. The Vulcan was older than himself but not quite a grown up.

“Hi!”

“You are not supposed to be here by yourself,” the Vulcan said.

“But look!” Jim pointed to the game on the screen.

The Vulcan moved over to the computer next to Jim and leaned over. Jim shrank back as a beam of light shot out of the computer, directly into the Vulcan’s eyes. Then, the Vulcan fell to the ground.

“Hey!” Jim got on the floor next to the Vulcan.

“It is all right, Jim,” Pretty Lady said, suddenly there again. “He is only sleeping.”

“Sleeping?” Jim looked up at her.

“Yes. Like a nap. You like naps, don’t you, Jim?”

“Yeah, they’re fun.”

“Fun,” she repeated softly. “Spock will be taking a nap for quite a while I think.”

“Spock? That’s his name?”

“It is. And now, Jim, I must go.”

“Go?” He frowned up at her.

“Yes.” She smiled kindly. “But we will meet again someday, you and I. You have been most useful.”

Jim watched as the Pretty Lady disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

He looked back at the Vulcan lying on the floor.

Suddenly the door burst open and there were guards and his Mama and another Vulcan male, this one much older than the one on the floor.

“James!” Mama cried. “What have you done?”

Jim scrunched up his face. “He’s just taking a nap.”

****

_14 Years Later_

 

Jim set his bag down next to his mother’s seat. She was sitting at the dining table drinking coffee and finishing off her breakfast.

“All right, so I’m ready.”

She sighed and threw down her napkin. “Are you sure you should be going?”

“You’ve asked me that a dozen times. It’s going to be fine.”

“But Risa? Couldn’t you have picked a tamer place for your trip?”

“A week in paradise.” Jim grinned. “Sounds perfect.”

“I can still get someone to take you.”

“I have my own ship. I don’t need anyone else. I’m a great pilot.”

She glanced down at his bag. “That’s awfully small for a week.”

“I plan on wearing nothing but a swimsuit most days. A few shorts. I don’t need a lot.”

“You _are_ taking Bones with you, right?”

Jim smiled. “Yes, Mother dear. Bones is coming.”

“And Bones has all your shots, right?” She sighed again. “You do have so many breathing problems. Are you sure the atmosphere on Risa is all right for you?”

“Yes. And Bones is packed with all my shots. Stop worrying.”

“Mother worry? What a shocker.” Sam had come up to the table and plopped himself down next to their mother. “Off to Risa?”

“I’m leaving in a few minutes.”

“You could go with him,” Mother said.

Sam opened his mouth.

“Absolutely not. I am not going on vacation with my older brother. No. And I don’t need Sam with me anyway.”

Sam laughed. “I don’t want to go. Well, not that I’d object to a week on Risa, but remember the envoy arrives in two days, Mother. Jim will be fine. He’s flown to other places before. Why are you so worried now?”

She sighed and leaned her chin on her hand. “My baby is all grown now.”

Jim rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

Sam eyed him. “You’re bringing Bones, right?”

“Yep, he’s already on my ship.”

“And all your shots? Breathing? Allergies?”

“Yep.”

“Okay then. He’ll be fine.”

“Let us know when you arrive,” Mother called after Jim as he started walking away.

Jim waved over his shoulder.

Less than ten minutes later, Jim boarded his ship.

“Bones?”

Bones appeared from around the corner.

“Oh, there you are. Everything, ready?”

His medical android nodded. “Yes, Jim. I am fully prepared for departure.”

Jim grinned. “This is going to be great.”

Bones gave him a look and held up a scanner.

“What are you doing?”

“Analyzing your current medical condition. Your vitals are slightly elevated.”

“I’m excited!” Jim patted his arm. “Strap yourself in, Bones.”

Bones grumbled and sat in the passenger seat next to the pilot’s seat. Early on in life, when Jim had so many medical issues, his mother had Bones, a medical android, built to accompany Jim everywhere. He was so human like that sometimes Jim forgot he wasn’t. But he never aged. The scientists that built him had done a great job though. And Jim considered him his best friend. He loved Bones, android or not.

“Should be on Risa in just under four hours,” Jim announced as his ship lifted off.

“I have packed my swimsuit,” Bones replied.

“Yeah?”

Bones nodded. “If I am to accompany you to the beach, I will need to fit in.”

“Hmm. But you may cramp my style.”

“I was not aware you had a style to cramp, Jim.”

“Funny.”

It was about two hours into the trip when he noticed a problem with his ship’s instruments. He frowned at them.

“This is not good.”

“What’s going on, Jim?”

“The ship’s fucking up, that’s what.”

Bones leaned forward and looked over at the panel. “I am not an expert on ships but that does not look good.”

The ship rocked.

“Damn!”

“Jim?”

“Bones, I think we’re going to crash.”

“I am fully stocked in trauma medical treatments.”

Jim grimaced. “Great. Good to know. Damn, we’re going to crash on that planet.” He narrowed his eyes. “Oh, no no!"

“What is it, Jim?”

“We can’t crash there! That’s Vulcan. They hate me there.”

“Jim, we have no choice.” Bones eyed the instrument panel.

“I _know_. God, we’re going to burn up if we don’t. Hell, they’ll probably kill me anyway. _If_ I survive the crash.”

“They will not kill you. This is not your fault.”

“Tell that to them when they arrest me, will you?” Jim’s heart thundered in his chest.

“Jim, your vitals—”

“Bones, shut up!”

They descended fast now.

“Brace yourself!”

Jim didn’t remember much of the actual impact. But when he regained consciousness, Bones was leaning over scanning him.

“Damage report?” he asked shakily.

“You hit your head. I’m working on it. Otherwise, you seem to be intact.” Bones smirked. “As am I.”

“That’s a relief.” Jim looked at the panel. “Doesn’t look like we’re in danger of exploding. Wonder where we are, exactly.”

“From what I could tell somewhere in the middle of the Vulcan desert. About as far from any city as we could be.”

Jim closed his eyes. “Awesome.”

“The good news is, Jim, I don’t think there are any Vulcan guards here to arrest you for invading their planet.”

Jim opened his eyes and looked at Bones. “There’s always a bright side.”


	3. Hot as Vulcan

“Okay, I totally understand now.”

“What do you understand?”

Jim, hands on hips, stood outside his dead ship. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead even though he’d only emerged from the wreckage less than five minutes earlier. Bones stood beside him as he gazed out over nothing but dirt and sand as far as the eye could see.

“The phrase, Hot as Vulcan. I’d always heard that it was damn hot but this is beyond my capability of understanding.”

“You just said you understood,” Bones pointed out.

“Figure of speech, Bones. Why does anyone inhabit this planet?”

“Vulcan biology has adapted to the atmosphere and weather conditions over many thousands of years.”

Jim sighed. “Yeah. I gotta say I am not altogether sad I’m unwelcome here. Not a place I think I’d visit unless I had to.”

“In less than thirty minutes you will begin to have difficulty breathing,” Bones announced.

“I was six freaking years old. How was I supposed to know a computer would kill their prince?”

Bones made a clicking noise. “He is not dead, he was not killed.”

“I guess. He might as well be though, right? Hasn’t even stirred in like fifteen years.”

“Fourteen.”

Jim wiped his forehead with his long sleeve. “I have to get out of these clothes. This is insane.”

Bones leaned in close, holding a hypospray. 

“What’s that?”

“A tri-ox compound.”

Jim nodded. “Try not to pinch me when you do it.”

Bones pressed it against Jim’s neck. It pinched.

“I don’t even remember it.”

“Jim?”

“The whole Prince Spock thing.” Jim waved his hands.

“It was before my time,” Bones said, “but as I understand it the King and Queen of Vulcan believe you somehow lured their son into his cursed fate.”

Jim snorted. “How does a six year old lure anybody? It was just an unfortunate thing. It’s not like I was the one who cursed him. It was Maleficent.”

The wind suddenly whipped up and whirled sand into a circle, similar to a small cyclone.

“Huh. Weird. Guess we’re going to have to find a way to contact someone.”

“You tried that on the ship and none of your communication devices worked.”

“I know, Bones. I think the ship could be fixed.”

“You don’t know how to fix ships, Jim.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Bones made another clicking noise. “Any particular subject you would like me to check for you?” 

He shook his head. “Never mind. We’ll have to walk somewhere.”

Bones turned and spread his arms out in all directions. “Where? I see no structure of any kind in any direction, Jim. It could take days. And in this heat? You wouldn’t survive it.”

“I won’t survive sitting out here marooned by the ship either. I don’t have any food. Just a little bit of water. I thought I was going to be on Risa by now.”

“Surely they are monitoring the orbit of their planet. They must know a ship crashed here.”

“We don’t know that. And how long am I supposed to wait?” Jim exhaled. “You could go for help. You don’t need food and water.”

“It is my sworn duty and programming to stay by your side and see to your medical needs at all times,” Bones reminded him.

“My needs right now are food and water and—”

Coming toward them was a large creature covered in fur and with fangs.

“Oh, crap.” Jim scrambled toward the ship. “Bones, what is that?”

“I am currently analyzing the approaching life form,” Bones replied. “Please get into the ship for safety.”

Jim didn’t have to be told twice, but he reached for Bones’ collar and pulled him through the ship door too. Which he promptly closed in the furry fanged face of the creature.

“It is a sehlat.”

“A say what?”

“A _sehlat_. They are native to Vulcan and have six inch fangs.”

“Yeah, I can see those myself.” Jim tilted his head this way and that. “He’s kind of cute from this side of the glass.”

“He is not cute and could rip your arm off,” Bones said matter-of-factly.

“Well, I hope he gets tired of pestering us and goes away.” Jim sank down into his pilot’s seat to wait. Why the hell didn’t he take engineering or something?

“It is not common academia for a Terran prince to take,” Bones said, sitting next to him.

“You reading minds now, Bones?”

“No, you asked out loud.”

“Oh. Well. I learned how to fly. Not exactly princely either.”

“An indulgence which Queen Winona regrets.”

“Probably especially now. She’s probably freaking out by now.”

“Yeah, of that I have no doubt.”

“Bones?”

“Yes?”

Jim stroked the panel of his ship. “I’m going to get out of this alive, aren’t I?”

“Of course.”

Jim smiled and looked at Bones. “Yeah?”

“I have absolutely no doubt.”

“Thanks.”

“And it’s time for your allergy shot A.”

“Okay, but don’t pinch—ahh!” Jim sighed.


	4. Separated

“I am going to have to go out there,” Bones announced.

Jim grabbed his arm. “Are you nuts? That beast is still there waiting to eat us.”

Bones glanced at Jim and then at the beast and then back to Jim. “Your highness. It seems clear that they will not find us in the very near future. I anticipate they are looking, but it is unknown how long it will take them. You need food and water. It is my duty as a medical professional to ensure your safety.”

“But you said it was your duty to stay by my side.”

“These are extenuating circumstances, Jim. In order to seek out nutrients for your survival it is necessary for me to begin a journey away from the ship. The only thing currently keeping me from doing so, is that creature.”

“But if it attacks you—”

“I can be rebuilt if necessary, Jim,” Bones said, grabbing Jims biceps and staring straight into Jim’s eyes. “But you cannot be. Once you are gone, you are gone. You must realize this is the only course of action.”

Jim deflated and glanced toward the window where he could view the sehlat, waiting for them. “I don’t-I don’t know how to be alone.”

“You won’t be. Not for long,” Bones assured him. He handed Jim his medical bag. “Here are all the things you will need until I can come back with food and water. There is a small supply of water, but you must be cautious to not use it up before I return. There are also some nutritional shots. They won’t be as nourishing as food but they will have to do for now. And in the future, all ships you fly _will_ be fully stocked with anything you might need.”  

Jim smiled crookedly. “I don’t intend to crash again, Bones.”

“Trouble seems to happen around you, Jim.”

Jim watched as Bones headed for the ship’s hatch. The sehlat outside seemed to perk up. Jim’s heart was about to jump out of his chest. What would he do if the creature destroyed Bones? He licked his lips.

“Take that phaser with you,” Jim said. It wasn’t something Jim had a lot of experience with. He’d fired a phaser maybe twice in his whole life. Well his whole life of twenty years. But all ships were required to have one on board. 

“You may need it. It stays with you.”

Bones opened the hatch and went out to where the beast waited. Jim watched, eyes wide, and he scrambled to pick up the phaser.

Suddenly he saw the furry thing knock Bones to the ground and get on top of him.

“Bones!” Jim pushed the hatch button and hurried out of the ship, phaser set to kill as he held it up toward the creature.

“No! Wait, Jim.”

“Bones, it’s killing you!”

 “It’s not. He’s licking me.”

Jim paused, lowered the phaser a little. “Maybe he’s tasting you.”

“No.” Bones pushed at the sehlat “Take it easy. Get off me.”

To Jim’s surprise, the sehlat allowed Bones to push him off and then Bones stood up.

“It’s friendly.” Bones looked at the beast closely. “ _He’s_ friendly.”

Jim lowered the phaser a little more but remained cautious. The sehlat looked over at Jim and then began to walk toward him. Jim backed up a step.

“It’s all right, kid. I don’t think he means to harm us.”

Jim allowed the sehlat to get close. Sure enough when it reached Jim, it just sat down in front of him and looked up at Jim expectantly.

“Uh, I don’t have any food.”

The sehlat tilted his head but made no other move.

“Maybe this is a good thing,” Bones said. “You have a guard and a companion while I’m gone.”

“A companion?” Jim moved away from the sehlat over to Bones. “Seriously? This thing has fangs and claws and he smells.”

The sehlat made a whining noise.

Jim looked back at him. “Well, you do.”

“Listen, Jim, I have to go and get some food and water for you. I’m your only chance.” He lowered his voice. “And if things get bad you can kill him and eat him.”

Jim’s eyes widened. “Oh my God.”

“Jim, you have to be practical here.”

“But Bones.” Jim looked away when he felt the prick of tears. He turned to hide his face and wiped at his eyes.

“It’s going to be fine, kid. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Jim nodded. “I know. Because it’s your sworn duty.”

“Yes. And because you are my charge and I care,” Bones replied. “As much as an android has the ability anyway. I would die for you, your highness.”

“I’m going to miss you,” Jim mumbled.

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

Bones patted his arm and then turned, starting to walk away in the direction of the north.

Jim watched him for a long time but eventually he looked down at the sehlat.

“A companion?” He shook his head and sighed. “I’ve never even had a pet. Mom always thought they were too messy and might effect my allergies. And when I got old enough, well, I go away a lot, you know? Who would take care of it?” 

Jim looked around. Nothing to see anywhere and he could no longer see Bones either. It was hot but not as hot and it looked like maybe it was turning to night.

“Guess I have to call you something, huh? How about Samson? You look like a Samson to me.” Jim sat down in the dirt, still holding the phaser.

Samson, as the former nameless sehlat was now named, moved closer to him and laid beside him. It was the weirdest thing.

“It’s almost like you came here to find me, huh? But that’s not possible.” Jim shook his head.

 _Jim_.

He looked around. “Bones?”

But there was no response and he didn’t hear his name whispered again.

****

He spent the night in the ship and was not surprised when he came out in the morning to find Samson still there. He found a place to relieve himself and then wondered what he should do.

The truth was he had little in the way of survival skills. He knew basic first aid. But he’d lived all his life in the palace and most of it with Bones as his ever trustworthy companion. His only friend really. Sam was older and not very much interested in keeping Jim entertained. Because he was a prince and because of his sickly nature, his mother had kept him away from most other children.

He’d had guards to protect him. But they were not friends. And with them as his protection, he hadn’t really learned much about protecting himself. He’d just hie off to a place like Risa and everything worked out. He was waited on hand and foot. His every wish answered before he had to voice it.

Now he was alone. Really alone. Well except for the sehlat.

He wasn’t helpless or anything. But yeah he could have used more skills. Not that he had expected to crash.

There was absolutely no sign of Bones. Or anyone or anything else.

He pulled out a shot for his breathing out of the bag Bones had left him and injected his skin just above the collarbone.

“Well, Samson, what do I do?”

_This way, Jim. Come this way._

Jim froze at the sound of a woman talking to him. It was soft and low, almost like a whisper on the wind. But there was no one.

_You will be safe if you follow my voice._

She sounded so familiar. Jim took a step forward.

_I have food and water. Come, Jim. Forget about everything else._

“Yes,” Jim said. “I’m coming.”

And he began to walk toward the voice.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disney viewers will note that I named the sehlat, Samson, after Prince Philip's horse in the animated Sleeping Beauty.


	5. Samson

Jim fell to his knees in the sand with a hard thud and he heard a crack, realized it was the sound of him hitting the ground. For a moment he was too dazed to move and then he saw that he was face to face with Samson, who stared at him, well, earnestly. A strange expression for an animal.

And it was then Jim figured out that he had tripped over Samson or rather Samson had tripped him. “What the hell?”

Samson got closer to Jim, up in his face, and for half a second, Jim feared the animal intended to bite him. His breath was foul, his teeth broken and mangled, and Jim shrank back. And got a face full of sehlat tongue.

“Oh, gross,” Jim said, wiping his face. “Did you knock me down?”

Of course there was no response from Samson and he had expected none.

He was left puzzled about what he had been about to do before he’d fallen. Jim had a feeling he was missing some important information but he could not bring it forth no matter how hard he tried. His stomach growled.

“Damn. I’m hungry.”

Jim struggled to his feet and brushed the sand off his clothes, looking back toward his ship. He’d walked further away from it then he’d realized, so he began to head back in that direction with Samson trotting beside him. He reminded Jim of a cross between a St Bernard and a bear.

There was still no sign of Bones and Jim had no idea when he could expect his friend back. Realistically at some point he was going to have to make his way himself. Although somewhere in the back of his head he recalled something about when you were lost you were supposed to stay where you were until someone found you.

“But then I could starve to death, huh?”

Jim decided to spend one more night with the ship and if Bones hadn’t returned in the morning, he would try to find help himself.

****

In the morning, there was, of course, no sign of Bones. Jim tamped down his disappointment and tried to ignore the racing of his heart. He’d been bothered by strange dreams throughout the night.

He couldn’t recall them all but he did remember dreaming of Prince Spock calling out to him. But not Prince Spock as he had been when six year old Jim had seen him, but rather as he must look now, at age thirty, although awake and beckoning to Jim, rather than laying in eternal slumber.

He could remember a word too that sounded foreign.

_T’hy’la._         

It had been spoken by Prince Spock in his dream and whispered in the very air around him. He had no idea what the word meant.

As he exited his ship, he felt stiff and tired. Hot and thirty. And hungry. He gave himself a nutritional supplement shot but it did nothing for the gnawing ache at the pit of his stomach. He picked up the small container of water. So far he had not taken any of it, but if he was going to make his way away from the ship, he was going to have to have some.

He left a note saying he was headed to the south since Bones had gone to the north and had never returned. He’d thought about going west, which had been the direction he headed when Samson tripped him, but the sehlat had growled at him, so he decided not to go that way. And east? It looked even more menacing that way.

Jim grabbed his bag that he had intended to take with him to Risa, which had his shorts and swimsuit in it and took it with him. He didn’t figure he should expose his skin to the beating sun, but he decided to take the stuff with him anyway.

He was beyond dejected and afraid as he began the trek. He had no idea what he was walking into, if anything, and he didn’t have a lot of hope for finding someone to help him.

“I’m probably going to die,” Jim confessed to Samson, who had now seemed to become his faithful companion in place of Bones. He’d never expected he would die at the age of twenty but he supposed Prince Spock hadn’t expected to be cursed at sixteen either. He’d been asleep for almost as long as he’d been alive. Jim didn’t know which was worse. Outright death or lingering in almost death like Spock.

He walked for hours and Samson kept pace with him. He was getting very hot and sweating like crazy and he stopped to take another sip of water. It was then, as he looked around at the vast space of nothingness, that he sank down to his knees in the sand and let the tears stinging his eyes flow down his cheeks.

He really was going to die. Part of him thought maybe, but no…this was going to be the end.

Samson’s teeth bit down on the sleeve of his shirt.

“Hey, hey, what are you doing? Hey.”

Samson tugged on him, like he wanted him to get up, and so Jim struggled back to his feet. “Okay, okay, I’m up.”

And then Samson started running.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

Samson just kept running and with a frown, Jim began to follow after him, at a much slower pace. Once Samson stopped to make sure Jim was following, and when he saw that Jim was, he kept on going.

He made Jim turn to the east and over a sandy dune, and Jim’s legs felt like jelly, and he could barely breathe. But then he saw it—

A big pond of water. No a lake, maybe. A river. A stream. Jim didn’t know. He just knew it was water and that Samson had stopped beside it and looked back at him with expectation.

Jim stumbled over to it and fell to his knees. Was this an illusion?

He stared into it, wondering if it was safe to touch, to drink, to anything. Samson stepped forward, leaned down and drank from the water.

Jim nearly cried with relief. Or maybe it wasn’t a near thing. He seemed to be a damn cry baby lately. He scooped up water in his hands and drank greedily. When he’d had his fill, he laid down beside it.

“Thank you,” he told Samson. “You saved me.”

Samson tilted his head, growled, and then moved off down the body of water. Jim lacked the energy to follow him, so he stayed laying on the shore. It was becoming night again and he feared it would turn cold. His skin felt flushed and heated from the sun. He was certain he’d been burned.

Jim stirred when his hand was nudged and he realized he’d fallen asleep.

“Samson?”

Samson dropped a large green round fruit on Jim’s stomach. Or at least he thought it was a fruit. Jim struggled to sit up and he examined the rind. It was similar to an Earth melon. He blinked at it and then looked at Samson. Jim smiled and reached over to bet the sehlat’s head.

“I think I may be a little in love with you,” Jim said, then laughed. Shook his head at his own nonsense. He broke the fruit open and ate it, sharing a little at the end with Samson. It was the best thing he’d ever eaten.

Samson curled up next to him as Jim dozed off, adding his body warmth to Jim’s. And for the first time since Bones left, Jim had hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the fast updates, I am intending to conclude this by Valentine's Day so they are necessary.


	6. Into the Vines

Jim woke to feeling a strange pressure in his chest and he realized he was unable to sit up. He fought against the pressure, it was almost like he was being held down. Panic began to set in.

“It will be easier if you cease to struggle.”

He froze at the woman’s voice.

“There now. Much better. You may rise, Your Highness.”

Jim shrank back into a seated position as he came face to face with a tall, beautiful woman all dressed in black, including a rather extravagant headdress.

“Maleficent.”

She smiled. “You remember. I’m flattered. The last time we met you were only a child.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing nefarious, so there’s no need to be frightened. I’m here to help.”

“Like you helped Prince Spock.”

Her smile widened. “The Vulcan prince is no concern of yours, Jim. What is between me and his family is quite complicated and none of your business.”

Jim blew out a breath. “What do you want?” he repeated.

Maleficent held out her hand toward him, as though an offer to help him up. Her hand was elegant and shapely with long fingers with perfectly manicured nails. “You needn’t fear me, dear boy. If I wanted to harm you, I would have done so back when you were six.”

Still Jim got to her feet without her assistance.

“Humans are so silly,” she said softly. “Do you know what I am?”

“No.”

“I hold much more power than you humans could ever understand. Right now, if I wanted to, I could bring you to your knees. I could make you see anything. Feel anything. You might be dying.”

Suddenly Jim felt searing pain throughout his body and he gasped as he fell to the ground, writhing.

“Ask me to stop,” she commanded.

Jim clenched his eyes shut, refusing to beg, even as the pain crippled him.

“So proud and stubborn.”

The pain cease abruptly. Once more she held out her hand for him. This time he took it and she lifted him to his feet, releasing hold of his hand immediately.

“There, you see. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

“I was merely demonstrating that I could, if I wanted to. Truly, all I want from you, is for you to return home. Now, if you will go south a little and then toward the west you will run across a group of Vulcans that are looking for you. They will make sure that you are returned post-haste to your waiting mother and brother, who are quite distraught over your disappearance.”

“They’re looking for me?” he asked doubtfully.

“Of course they are. And I assure you they will be eager to rid themselves of you. Now, do be a good boy, and return to your home planet.”

“Bones—”

Maleficent sighed. “Yes, your robot will be returned too.”

“Android.”

She waved her hand. “Be gone, Jim. Make haste. Your family, your subjects await you.”

“But—”Jim shook his head. “Were you…did you call to me before?”

Her smile was icy. “Yes so that you could be rescued. And you will be, you foolish boy. And you are never to set foot on Vulcan again. You will forget it even exists.”

She had moved closer to him without him even realizing it and suddenly she was gripping his chin in a tight grasp, her fingers unexpectedly cold against his desert heated skin. He stared into eyes as black as night.

“Defying me will go badly for you, Your Highness. So far, I have been kind to you, as I like you. But if you cross me, my liking you can change very rapidly.”

Jim heard a low growl and then suddenly Maleficent jerked and released Jim’s chin. She turned in a sweep of her dark cloak to face Samson who had apparently attacked her.

“You interfering beast,” she cried. She raised her hand and Jim knew whatever she intended would not be good. He ran at her and knocked her off her feet and straight into the water.

With fire in her eyes, she rose from the water, whipped her cloak around and suddenly disappeared.

Jim dropped to his haunches to greet Samson. “Where have you been? Are you all right?”

Samson nudged him.

“I think we definitely have to watch out for her. But I guess, maybe, we should go the way she said, so I can get off here, right?” Jim stood. He started to head toward the south but stopped when he felt Samson bite his pants leg. “What?”

Samson started pulling him toward the east.

“Hey, cut that out. I don’t want to go that way.”

Samson kept tugging.

“But she says they’re coming for me that way. Samson!”

But the sehlat would not budge.

Jim licked his lips. “You really want me to go east? Looks, I don’t know, ominous.”

Samson whined.

“Yeah. I guess she might be lying about the rescuers anyway. She’s not exactly trustworthy.” Jim sighed. “Fine. East it is.”

He filled up with water from the stream and some of the fruit and then began to trek east. After a few hours, he was overheated and sweaty so he stopped for food and water. He’d never been so hot and miserable in his life. Surely he should have gone the other way.

He rose again and began to walk until a huge shadow loomed above him. His breath caught in his throat as an enormous fortress rose up in front of his eyes. It reminded him of an old sand castle or something.

“What? What is this place, Samson?” He looked down at the sehlat. “You brought me here, didn’t you?”

There was no sign of anybody around but if it was a fortress it was likely that someone lived there and that meant rescue, for certain.

But even as he took his first steps toward it, a great rumbling sounded under the ground, and as Jim recoiled back, a huge thorny vine began to spring up and around the castle, wrapping around it as though to render it totally impenetrable. The vine itself was thick and dark and moved as though the very thing breathed with life. The thorns covering it were as big as Jim’s hands.

“Fuck me,” he breathed. “What sorcery is this?”

_T’hy’la._

Jim shivered at the low, deep word.

He reached out and touched a portion of the vine and it moved under his fingers, undulating and hissing.

Wide eyed, Jim looked down at Samson.

“I could use a great big sword like in medieval times, huh?” Jim sighed. “Unfortunately all I have is this phaser.”

He withdrew it from his bag.  

“Here goes nothing.” He fired and a small portion of the vine broke apart. Black goo oozed from it and Jim had a sickening feeling it was blood. Grimacing, he went through the space in the vine and prepared to fire again.   


	7. The Return

He was only half way through the vines and he was exhausted. Each time he destroyed a portion of the vine, another part grew in another section of the maze. And Jim did not fool himself. It was a maze.

If he hadn’t gotten him hopelessly trapped in the vines, he would have turned around and left, giving up on the strange castle on the other side.

Jim stopped, holding the phaser, breathing heavily.  More than once a thorn from the massive thing had pierced him, torn his clothes. If he ever got home, he would have a lot of explaining to do about the numerous tears in his shirt.

Once a vine had come down toward his head and he had ducked in time to miss the bulk of the injury but it still managed to scratch him across his left cheek. The scratches hurt like hell and he could only pray they didn’t have some sort of poison.

He crouched down and pulled out a breathing shot from within his bag. There were only two left after this. He wasn’t supposed to need so many on Risa. He injected himself, his lungs loosening the tightness in his chest at once. He was filled with a heavy sense of dread as he straightened up once more. So far, from what he could see, Samson had followed him through the vine maze without any major injuries himself.

At first Jim had talked to the sehlat as he made his way through but now he had fallen silent, preferring to concentrate his entire focus on the maze. He refused to think about dying again. Whatever his fate would be, it could not be changed now. He had chosen this path and he would see it through.

Jim raised the phaser and fired at a section of vines, moving quickly through the opening before more appeared in their place. The scent of blood and burning flesh assailed his nose and he tried not to think on that. He came to a fork in the maze and stopped. To the right as a fairly straightforward path. To the left there was a massive tree trunk from whence several vining branches shot out from.

The right path was the easy way so his gut told him that it was wrong. Going that way would not help him at all. He felt it deep. Still he hesitated even as Samson growled low.

The castle was nearer now, dark and mysterious. Somehow he knew he had to get to it.

Jim turned left and fired at the vines blocking the left path. He slipped through along with Samson.

The ground was soft, his booted feet almost sinking into the dirt there. He’d heard of things like quicksand, his nanny had read him tales of such things when he was a boy, and he certainly hoped that would not be thrown his way as well.

Jim approached the massive tree with no little trepidation but it did nothing but stand there breathing, for he saw the rise and fall of the bark and all he could think was what a strange enchantment this all was. He couldn’t shake the feeling it was all part of some elaborate fairytale.

Cautiously he lifted the phaser and shot the vines coming from the trunk and went to hurry past it. Suddenly more vine branches formed rapidly and reached out to ensnare him, pulling him flush to the trunk and holding him tight against it. One branch slid up his stomach to his chest, squeezing him so hard that he could not catch his breath. The phaser had dropped from his hand, his arms now helpless at his side as the branches held him.

Jim struggled against the vines hold but the more he struggled the more the branches tightened around him. The tree began to make chomping noise and he was began to think the thing was planning on eating him.

He closed his eyes, not wanting to watch it bite into him.

Suddenly Jim heard a slashing noise and he fell to the ground, free of the tree’s hold. He opened his eyes wide.

“Bones!”

The android stood before him, his hands formed into giant scissor like blades.

“What the fuck are those?”

The blades detracted and Bones was normal again. “A recent improvement made by your brother.” Bones pulled Jim to his feet. “How are you doing, kid?”

Jim embraced Bones, hugging him with all his might. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you’re here.”

Bones patted Jim’s back. “I’ve been on your trail for some time. I came back to the ship when I couldn’t find help, only to find you had gone. Didn’t I tell you to stay put?”

“Well—”

“Never mind. At least I’ve found you.” Bones looked down at Samson. “Is that the same sehlat?”

“Yeah. I named him Samson. He’s like a dog or something. Really weird.”

Bones looked at the castle. “What is this place, Jim?”

“I’m trying to find out. Remind me when we get home to thank Sam for those blade things.”

Bones made a clicking noise. “Reminder set.”

Jim smiled and shook his head. He felt ever so much better with Bones by his side. “I think our only chance of rescue lies there in that castle. And, um, I should let you know. Maleficent is here.”

“Here on Vulcan?”

“Yeah, she paid me an unpleasant visit. So be on the lookout.”

“If she’s involved it can’t be good,” Bones said.

“I know. Let’s go.” Jim bent down to retrieve his phaser but as he prepared to shoot their way out, Bones once more turned his hands into blades, which slashed through the vines most efficiently. And even better, Bones seemed to have a better sense of direction than him and only a short time later they emerged from the vine maze. “Oh thank God. That’s such a relief.”

A loud screech overhead had them looking up into the sky. Coming toward them was a giant flying thing breathing fire.

“Bones, is that-is that a _dragon_?”

“According to my data banks, yes.”

“Holy shit.”

The dragon gave a piercing cry as it lunged toward them.


	8. The Castle

“Oh my God, Oh my God,” Jim cried. “I don’t know how to fight a dragon. They aren’t supposed to be real.”

“Get behind me, Your Highness,” Bones said, pushing Jim out of the way. “I will fight it while you get to safety in the castle.”

“What? No way.”

“Jim—”

Jim fired the phaser at the dragon and hit its left side. It cried out, but wasn’t slowed down. It roared with fire, its massive leg knocking Jim to the ground as it swooped past him.

The breath knocked from him, temporarily, Jim watched as the dragon turned around and headed for them once more. Bones held up his blade hands as the dragon flew down at them.

Bones slashed at the dragon somewhere near its throat but the dragon turned once more and headed for them. Jim scrambled to his feet.

“Go to the Castle, Jim,” Bones said again.

“No, I won’t leave you.”

The dragon came back and this time swooped in and grabbed Jim in its maw

“Jim!”

Its giant jaw clamped tight upon him, pain searing through him at his waist and abdomen.

This was it, Jim thought, he really was going to die. But at least he didn’t die a coward, running to safety from danger like some pampered prince. Okay, he was one, but still.

Jim punched a tooth as hard as he could but nothing happened. The pain increased and he could feel his strength draining.

_No, T’hy’la._

Jim had no idea why he should be even listening to this voice or even what it meant, but he tried again. This time stomping down as hard as he could on the beast’s tongue. The jaw began to tremble, then open a little, so Jim pried it open further and jumped from the dragon’s mouth. As he began to fall he realized how far up he was and fear gripped him. He doubted he’d survive such a fall without a lot of broken bones.

But as Jim braced for impact he found himself caught in the arms of Bones instead. Bones didn’t even stagger under his weight. “Thanks.”

Bones nodded and set him on his feet. “Anytime, kid.”

The dragon had not given up, however, and was turning around to come back at them. Jim reached for his phaser and it was gone.

“Damn!”

He spotted it on the ground a few feet away. He scrambled for it, stumbling as he ran, just as the dragon swooped down. Bones slashed at it but its giant wings pulled back and then whacked into Bones, sending him flying into the air and then back down in a heap.

Jim grasped the phaser just as the dragon turned toward him. He raised the gun and fired straight between its eyes. The dragon gave a screeching cry so loud that it rent the very air and goosebumps went down the back of Jim’s neck.

It rose up in the air and flew off and away from the castle.

Jim hurried to Bones, who lay face down. “Bones! Bones!” He turned his friend over. There were machine parts sticking out of Bones’ neck and chest.

“It’s all right, Jim.”

“All right? You’re exposed!”

“Go into the castle.”

“Not without you.”

Bones shook his head. “You can get help there. Send someone out for me.”

Jim glanced at the castle and as he watched all the vines they had cut through disappeared and the dark dismal façade of the castle changed to one of brightness and light.

He squeezed Bones’ shoulder. “Okay. Samson, you stay with Bones.”

He got to his feet and approached the castle. The doors opened immediately to him.

“Hello?” Jim called as he entered. He half-expected to be greeted by an army of Vulcans but his hello echoed out into the seemingly abandoned hall. “Hello?”

It was then Jim noticed a door to the side that seemed to be shimmering. He stared at it for a long time but the shimmer did not go away. He approached it and the door sprung open.

Jim hesitated. It could be another trick of Maleficent. He could be walking right into a trap. But if help was through this door—

He blew out a breath and walked through the doorway only to be greeted by a winding staircase. With a shake of his head he began to ascend the stairs as they twisted around and continued on higher and higher. Jim began to think there was no end in sight, that this was the trickery, he would be endlessly climbing.

 And then he saw it. A short hallway and a door at the end. There was another door leading from the hallway into the other part of the castle, but Jim ignored that door for the moment and went to the one that ended at the stairs. He twisted the handle and pushed it open.

His footsteps faltered when he spotted a bed in the room and upon the bed lay a man.

“No,” Jim said out loud. “A Vulcan.”

He sucked in a breath as he drew closer to the figure in the bed. If this Vulcan was merely sleeping and woke up at Jim’s intrusion, he was going to be in big trouble. But somehow he knew that wasn’t the case. Somehow he knew.

The Vulcan male lay on his back, his hands linked and folded over his chest. Though Jim did not really recognize him, he knew he had seen him before. Again, somehow he knew.

“Prince Spock,” he whispered.

This was the chamber of the cursed prince.

The door behind him suddenly slammed open. “Spock!” A gasp had Jim turning quickly. A woman stood there in the doorway. A human woman with dark hair and eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I…I wasn’t trying to hurt him,” Jim said quickly, almost frantically. “I just…I thought—”

“Oh.” Her hand went to her chest. “My dear boy. I know that. You’re Prince James, aren’t you?”

“How-how did you know?”

“You resemble your father a great deal. I’m Amanda. Spock’s mother.”

Jim nodded rapidly. “Ma’am. I really wasn’t trying to hurt him. My ship crashed and I was looking for help and—”

“No, no, no. I know. Please.” Amanda came close to him and took his hands in hers. “You’re shaking.”

“Don’t you hate me?”

“Hate you? Of course not. Oh, James, you were only a child. And Maleficent.” She shook her head. Looked at her son. “There’s been no change. Sarek and I brought Spock home and placed him here. We’ve been caring for him ever since.”

“The castle.” Jim licked his lips. “There were vines and a dragon and—”

“That vile creature’s enchantment. She has punished us with her wrath for many years, James.”

“Jim, please.”

“Jim.” She smiled gently. “No one could leave this castle and no one could come in for many years. You have broken that enchantment.”

“But he’s still the same.”

“Yes.” She bowed her head. “Come with me, Jim. You must be starving. And you need rest and care and a bath, I daresay.”

Jim allowed her to pull him from the room and across the short hallway into the main part of the castle.

“Wait…Bones. My medical android, he was injured in the battle with the dragon. He’s still outside. He needs help.”

Amanda nodded. “I will see to it. Sit there and I will return in a moment.”

Jim was brought food and then taken to a chamber where he was bathed and seen to by a healer. His injuries were minor and mostly superficial. He was dressed in Vulcan robes which seemed a little strange but his own clothes were ripped and torn and he’d lost his bag with his shorts and swimsuit. Not that he would have worn those in front of the Vulcans anyway.

He did not want to sleep but he found that he could not keep his eyes open and he drifted off just after he’d been told that Bones had been taken into the castle and was being repaired. Samson too was being cared for.

“Is there nothing that can be done?” Jim asked Amanda the very next morning. He was having breakfast with her. He’d been told that King Sarek had left the castle that morning, since they’d finally been able to escape the enchantment, to check on the rest of his kingdom. Amanda had informed Jim that his mother had been notified of his safety and he planned to speak with her soon over a video conference.

Amanda shook her head. “Healers have tried. Sarek and I have done all that we could. Nothing seems to work. And Maleficent has never advised us what could break the curse if anything.”

“Then it is hopeless.”

“I don’t want to think so but how can I think otherwise?” Her voice was whisper soft. “One healer suggested that a kiss from Spock’s intended might wake him, but there is no one.”

“Intended?”

“A bondmate. Vulcans bond as children. Only Sarek and I never had Spock bonded. We thought to allow him to choose his own mate when he was ready. But the healer said that was not the sort of bondmate she meant anyway.”

Jim frowned. “What did she mean?”

“She suspected that Spock might have an ancient, revered bond with a predestined mate. And only that mate could break Spock’s curse.” Amanda smiled without mirth. “Sarek does not believe Spock has some fated mate. That is the old ways. Logic dictates the Vulcan way and Telsu is a very old notion.”

“Telsu?”

Amanda nodded. “The bonded pair. The fated ones. In human terms, a soulmate. T’hy’la.”

Jim’s heart froze in his chest, or it felt like that. “What?”

She frowned. “T’hy’la. It is the term used. Brother, friend, lover.”

“Then, then, this person would be male?”

“Yes, but…”

Jim stood up, his heart was now pounding so hard it hurt.

“Jim? What is it?”

“I have to try something,” he announced. “I have to get to Spock.”

He hurried from the room, seeking the stairs that would lead him back up to Spock.  


	9. Fate

Jim dashed into the room that held Spock and quickly approached the bed. He was only vaguely aware of Amanda’s footsteps in pursuit.

Spock looked so peaceful and serene that Jim almost didn’t want to disturb him. But that was deceiving. He’d been this way for fourteen years. Continuing to age without living. Jim knelt next to the head of the bed and then leaned over, placing his lips upon Prince Spock’s.

“Jim! What—”

He pulled back and waited. Amanda was breathing heavily in the doorway, hand pressed to her heart.

_Nothing._

Spock did not stir. Not even a little.

Crushing disappointment filled him. Jim bowed his head, swallowing hard against the lump filling his throat.

“Jim?”

“I-I thought for a moment…but no. I should have known better.”

What in the world would make him think he would be the T’hy’la of a Vulcan Prince? The idea now was ludicrous. Whatever the whispered words he’d heard, were obviously more tricks from Maleficent. But, oh lord, it was hard to breathe with the dismay he felt.

“What did you think?” Amanda asked gently.

Jim shook his head. “I had this idea that perhaps I was this fated bondmate for him. Crazy notion, huh? I’m sorry.” He stood up and turned toward her.

“Oh, Jim. Do not blame yourself. I fear Sarek is right and there is no T’hy’la for Spock. It was naught but a false hope.”

Jim supposed it was easier to believe Spock had no fated bondmate than to simply think there was no way it could ever be him.

“Come, Jim. Your mother is anxious to speak to you.”

“Can you give me just a minute with him? Please?”

She hesitated and then nodded. “Very well.”

After Amanda left the room, Jim knelt beside Spock’s bed once more.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “More so than anyone I’ve seen and I just…you know I thought maybe I was your T’hy’la all along. It would be like Maleficent to use me against you, right?” He shook his head. “And then when I heard you calling…it seemed so real, Spock. I wanted it to be real.”

He reached out toward Spock’s hands folded on his chest.

“It sucks to be so wrong. It hurts. I don’t even know you, really, and yet, I do.”

He closed his fingers over Spock’s left hand.

“Wake up, Spock. Please. Wake up.”

Spock’s hands were warm with life, which seemed so odd with how still and quiet he was. Jim stroked Spock’s fingers with his own. Then with a defeated sigh, he let go of Spock’s hand and made to stand.

Spock’s eyelids flickered.

Jim’s breath caught. “Spock?”

Eyelids flickered again and then with aching slowness lifted to reveal deep, dark brown eyes framed by long thick lashes.

“T’hy’la,” Spock spoke softly, his voice rough from being long quiet.

“Spock,” Jim shouted. He rose to his knees and leaned over Spock, kissing his lips, which were soft and warm, though slightly chapped. Spock’s hand, trembling, came up to cup the back of Jim’s neck, holding him there.  

The door burst open and Amanda gasped. “Oh my God, Spock!”

Their kiss broke and Jim helped Spock to sit up as his mother rushed to him, embracing him tightly.

“Oh, Spock, Spock,” she said, starting to weep. “Jim, you did it. You brought him back.”

“Mother, it is all right.”

“It is not all right! Do you know how long you have been asleep?”

“No,” Spock admitted.

She sniffed. “I am going to get the healer to check you. And I must send word to your father. Jim, will you stay with him?”

As if he would go anywhere else.

“Yes.”

As soon as she left, Jim returned to the bed, sitting on the edge as Spock took hold of his hands.

“Jim,” Spock said.

“Uh. Yeah. Prince James. Um, you know, from when—”

“I know who you are.” Spock stared into his eyes. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Um. Well.” Jim exhaled. “This is a lot for you to take in. Me too, actually.”

“Jim.”

“Fourteen years.”

Spock’s eyes widened slightly. “I see.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “It makes sense. You have obviously grown up. I knew it could not have been a short time.”

“Yeah.” Jim tried a smile. “You called to me.”

“Did I?”

“I think you did. It was definitely your voice and you kept saying, T’hy’la.”

“How is it you are here?”

“I crashed my ship on Vulcan. It’s a long story. And I’m sure you’ll hear all the details over the next few days. And I should probably return—”

“No,” Spock said quickly.

“But—”

“We have just been united, Jim, surely you would not think to part us so soon.”

“Well, but my mother is concerned.”

“Indeed.”

“My brother too.”

“I am certain my parents would welcome a visit from them.”

Jim’s smile was more genuine now. “You really want me to stay?”

“Forever, actually.”

Jim gave a strangled cry. “ _Forever_?”

“You are my T’hy’la. I do not wish to be separated.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“You woke me yourself with the Vulcan kiss.”

“The-the finger thing?”

Spock quirked a brow. He rubbed his fingers against Jim’s and Jim shivered. “Affirmative.”

“That is nice.”

“Nice,” Spock murmured.

“If you are sure—”

Spock’s hand rose toward Jim’s face. “May I?”

Jim nodded.

Spock’s fingers spread over Jim’s face. “Do you feel me, T’hy’la? Feel us?”

He closed his eyes and felt a golden, warm, and loving presence with his own. Perhaps he should be frightened by the intrusion, but he found that he was not, that it felt natural. And in only seconds, Spock retreated gently, leaving him a lone with his own thoughts once more.

Jim opened his eyes. “Wow.”

Spock’s lips curved ever so slightly. “Indeed.”

Jim leaned over and human kissed him, deeply, thoroughly.

“Nice,” Spock whispered.

Jim laughed.

“And now there is something I must say.”

“What is it, Spock?” Jim asked somewhat anxiously.

“I am hungry. After all I have not eaten in fourteen years.”

Jim burst out laughing. “Yeah, huh? I mean you had supplements and sponge baths and well, um, you know stuff to help you go to the bathroom.”

“Jim—”

“I’m just saying. You probably want a real bath and real food and um, all the rest of that stuff.” He grinned. “Enchantments are a bitch.”

Amanda returned with the healer, who immediately went to Spock, pushing Jim out of the way, not that gently either.

Jim shook his head and stood next to Amanda.

“I think he’s fine,” Jim commented.

Amanda glanced at him, her eyes shining with moisture. “Thanks to you. I’ll forever be grateful you brought Spock back to us.”

“It was just a kiss,” Jim said, blushing.

Amanda rolled her eyes.

“I really do need to go talk to Mom.”

“Easy, Spock,” the healer murmured, when Spock looked up, alarmed. “He will be near.”

Jim frowned. “Is he okay?”

“The realization of your bond is new so it does take some adjustments for us as Vulcans. You would not have the same adjustments as you are psi-null. He does not want to be away from you, it makes him anxious,” the healer explained.

“I’m not going far, I promise.”

Spock nodded slowly.

Amanda patted Jim’s arm. “I’ll take you to a room where you can have a conference with your mother.”

“Thanks.” Jim followed her out of the room with Spock, trying not to be anxious himself. The healer was wrong. He did feel it.

Amanda brought him to a small room with a computer. Before she gently pushed him into a chair, she hugged him tight. “I am so grateful for you, Jim. Sarek is on his way home now. We are both so pleased.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

“Help.” She pulled away and smiled. “You are our miracle. Spock’s miracle. There is something I should tell you.”

“Yeah?”

“Vulcans can be very clingy.” She laughed then, kissed his cheek and left him to it.

As soon as his mother appeared on screen, she burst into tears.

“Mom! Mom! I’m okay! All in one piece.”

“I know. It’s just, I’ve been so frantic,” she said, sniffing. “God, I could just kill your brother.”

“Sam? Why?”

“Because he should have gone with you!”

“Then we both would have crashed. And anyway, thanks to Sam’s alterations on Bones, I’m good. Really good”

“Well.” She smiled. “Happy Valentine’s Day, by the way.”

“Oh, lord, it’s not that day again, is it?”

“It most certainly is. I have a whole box of candy waiting for you.”

“Uh. Well.” Jim rubbed the back of his neck. “About that.”

“When are you coming home?”

“See, Mama, the thing is—”

“Mama? Oh, no. Something is up. You haven’t called me that since you were just a boy.”

“I got married,” Jim blurted out.

“Married?” she shrieked. “What?”

“To Prince Spock.”

“To an unconscious Vulcan?”

“No, not anymore. He woke up. I woke him up.”

“You woke him up so he married you?” She frowned.

“It’s a little more complicated than that.” He noticed she was very pale. “Uh. Anyway, we’re fated mates and…Mama?”

She had fainted.   


	10. That Look in Your Eyes is So Familiar a Gleam

“I think I broke my mother,” Jim told Spock as they walked side by side in the castle to the terrace Spock was leading Jim.

Spock had been fed, cleaned, and dressed in green and blue satiny Vulcan robes with elaborate gold piping, befitting a prince of Vulcan, Jim figured. In his plain brown robes he’d been loaned, Jim felt very underdressed. But he had to admit, Spock looked spectacular.

“How so?”

“She fainted when I told her you and I were spouses or whatever.”

“Mates,” Spock corrected.

Jim smiled. “Vulcan married.”

“Our bonding is recognized everywhere, even on Terra.”

“Exactly, so she freaked out a little. I think she imagined some elaborate ceremony she got to plan or something. Hey. Did you know it’s Valentine’s Day?”

Spock gazed at him blankly. “Valentine’s Day?”

“A day for lovers. Sweethearts.” Jim nodded as he noticed Spock’s expression did not change. “They don’t have it here on Vulcan, huh?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Jim shrugged. “Well, it’s nothing really. I just thought the fact that I woke you from slumber on Valentine’s Day was kind of cool. It’s a day for those in love.” Jim felt his face heat. “Not-not that we are or-or anything. You know. Yet.”

Spock said nothing to that and Jim found himself grateful for Spock’s reserve. One of them had to act normal. And it was no surprise it wasn’t him.

But the moment he spotted Bones on the terrace with Samson, Jim let go of Spock’s arm and ran to them excitedly.

“Bones! Samson! Am I glad to see you.”

“How are you, Jim?”

“Great. How about you, Bones? You look as good as new. They repaired you all right?”

Bones nodded and smiled slightly. “They did. And I have a whole new bag of medications for you.”

“That I could do without.” Jim crouched down next to Samson. “Hey buddy.” He hugged the sehlat who’d saved his life more than once. He looked up when Spock was suddenly beside him. Jim straightened and stood. “Oh. Bones, this is my…er…Prince Spock.”

“Hello, Jim’s Prince Spock.”

“Doctor,” Spock acknowledged. “I am gratified for your presence in my mate’s life.”

“I’d like to continue in that capacity given his likely new residence is Vulcan.”

Spock nodded. “Indeed, it is. And you would be most welcome. I am aware of his significant allergies and breathing challenges.”

“Hey. I’m right here.”

“Of course you are,” Spock said, clearly puzzled by Jim’s outburst. He looked down at Samson. “And who is this?”

“This is Samson. Or at least that’s what I call him.”

“You found a sehlat after you crashed?”

“He found me, actually. I think he’s kind of tame.”

“I have never heard of a tame sehlat,” Spock said, tilting his head curiously. “When I was a child, my father had one named I-Chaya, but he was killed by a Le-Matya while protecting me. Curious.”

“Well, can he stay? We’re pretty attached to each other at this point.”

“As you wish, Jim.”

“I’ll just take Samson inside and bring him to your chambers, Prince Spock,” Bones offered. “I assume that Prince James will be sharing them.”

Jim blushed at that, though he couldn’t even say why, and he moved over to the railing of the terrace.

“Indeed. Thank you.”

A moment later, Spock joined Jim at the railing as they looked out at nothing but desert sand as far as the eye could see.

“In a few days we will visit ShiKahr.”

“Who’s that?”

“It is a place not a who. A major city here on Vulcan. Our people are anxious to greet both of us.”

“Okay.”

“Jim, are you well?”

He licked his lips. “Yeah. I mean, this is just happening kind of fast, you know? One minute I’m going to Risa on a vacation—”

“Risa,” Spock murmured.  

“Uh, yeah. About that. I mean, I’m not exactly innocent, just so you know. Anyway, one minute I’m off to Risa and then I’m crashing, facing some all-powerful omnipotent woman, er alien, whatever Maleficent is, and then I’m waking up a prince who I happened to be bonded to, I don’t even know how, and then I’m leaving home forever to live on this hot rock.” Jim took a deep breath. “It’s a-a little bit much.”

“Jim,” Spock said softly. He moved closer to Jim and then raised his hand to cup Jim’s cheek. “We have forgotten that you are still only twenty and Human and do not understand all the Vulcan ways yet. You may have whatever time you require to acclimate to this.”

“And what about you? This has to be overwhelming to you as well. You’ve been asleep since you were sixteen and now you wake up and you’re thirty. Everything you knew then is not the same now. How are you not insane?”

“It is an adjustment,” Spock admitted.

Jim laughed. “Vulcans really are the kings of understatement.”

“T’hy’la,” Spock whispered. “You are a gift. And I have you and Mother and Father and healers and many others to help me adjust to life as it is now.”

Jim searched his gaze. “Do you blame me? For what happened, I mean.”

“It was Maleficent, not you.”

“For a long time, we were led to believe that the Vulcans, that your parents, blamed me for what happened.”

“More lies spread by Maleficent and her enchantments.”

“Yeah. But I did cause you to come into that room with the computer.”

“Because she lured a six year old boy. Jim, you bear no responsibility for my curse.”

Jim nodded and looked away. “I’m just-I’m a little nervous.”

“I feel your anxiety. I do not know the source.” Spock moved closer. “Is it the thought of intimacy with me?”

He snorted at that. “Get real.” He laughed when Spock’s eyebrow rose. “No, Spock. I told you, I’m not innocent. It’s you who are. And you might be anxious about that. I don’t know. But what I do know is that it’s going to be great between us. I feel that.”

“Then why are you anxious? Do you fear the return of Maleficent? There has been no indication that she will be back and the enchantment has been broken.”

"No, not that."

"Then I inquire as to the source of your disquiet."  

“I don’t know how to be the mate of a Vulcan,” Jim admitted. “I only know how to be me. And I’m-I’m not sure that’s good enough.”

“James.” Spock brushed hair off Jim’s forehead. “All I ask is that you trust me. I would never want you to be anyone other than who you are. The only requirement is trust and respect between us. Can you do that?”

“Without a doubt,” Jim assured him.

“Then we are going to do well, Jim.”

“Well.” Jim nodded. Good. They would do well. He wasn’t sure exactly what that would mean for him. For them. But for Vulcans, Jim supposed, that was a decent start.

“There is something I should discuss with you,” Spock said then, looking away, his cheeks vaguely green.

“Oh?”

“Since I was…incapacitated for fourteen years, during a time I would have likely experienced this, it is quite possible, in fact almost a certainty, I will experience it now. I do not know how long I have, but I am certain it will not be a significant time period before it _will_ happen. Indeed, the healer is in agreement on this, which is why I thought it prudent to provide warning to you.”

Jim frowned. “Warning of what? Spock, you’re rambling.”

“I apologize,” he said stiffly. “This is new to me also.”

“I know but—”

“The mating cycle.”

“Mating cycle?”

“It is a biological need.”

“A biological need?”

“I would appreciate it if you would cease parroting me.”

Jim flushed. “Sorry but—”

“Pon Farr,” Spock whispered.

“Pon…what?”

"Let me show you." Spock put his fingers on Jim's face.

"Ohhh."

****

When Jim’s mother and brother arrived, Jim very nearly burst into tears. He had missed them so much. And there was a time he wasn’t sure he would even survive. And here they were.

Sam hugged him like he would never let him go and Jim felt the prick of tears and the uncomfortable lump in his throat.

“Hey,” Sam said, patting his back. “It’ll be okay, Jim. You need me to bust you out of here, just say the words. And inter-galactic incident be damned.”

Jim sniffed. “No, no I’m all right.” He pulled away and wiped at his eyes. “Time for me to grow up, right?”

Sam studied him. “Did I say that?”

“No. But I’m sure everyone thinks it.” Jim glanced at his mother who was currently deep in conversation with King Sarek, Queen Amanda, and Prince Spock. “This is just so weird.”

“I bet,” Sam said with sympathy. He grabbed Jim’s arm and pulled him further away from their mother and the Vulcans. “Listen, I mean it. If you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to be.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “And then what? The Vulcan healers tell me it’s bad for Spock to be away from me because he’s still adjusting to his bond. And hell, life, Sam. He’s been asleep for fourteen years.”

“True, but that’s not your problem.”

“It is because I’m his mate.”

“Jim, you’re not a Vulcan. If this isn’t for you, then it isn’t. And Spock and everyone else will just have to accept that.” Sam glanced their way. “You’ve been here, what, three days now, have you two, well, um…”

“No,” Jim said quickly. “Come on, Sam. We barely know each other. And um, well, up until I woke him up, Spock’s last memories were from when he was sixteen. We’re giving each other time to get settled with everything.” He paused and bit his lip. “You think we should?”

“I just think it might be easier if you haven’t. I mean, if you decide you’re coming home with Mom and me. Once you get all involved in the intimate side of things it gets more complicated.” Sam narrowed his eyes at Spock. “Virgin, right?”

“Sam,” Jim hissed.

“I’m just saying. I’m not trying to be insensitive, Jim, but _you_ are my concern. Not Spock. Or his parents. Not about this. I don’t want you to be forced into something you aren’t ready for just because you happened to be the guy who broke the spell.”

“Spock wouldn’t force me into anything, Sam. He’s been nothing but kind and gracious. They all have.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.”

Jim sighed. “I’m all right with being Spock’s mate, really. It happened fast is all. And I miss home. I even miss my room, which is nuts, right?”

Sam smiled. “Nah, I think that’s normal. I did bring your clothes, so at least you can get out of those robes. Is it itchy?”

“Not so much, I just feel a little priestly. I’ll be glad to wear my stuff,” Jim admitted.

“Is he going to make you dress like them?”

“Sam! I told you, he doesn’t _make me_ do anything. It’s really not like that.”

“Okay.” Sam nodded. “Okay. And I’m sorry if I’m being a butthead. I’ve just been taking care of you for years and it’s hard to let go.” He smiled. “You’re a man now and old enough to decide things for yourself. And even to tell your brother to go to hell if you want.”

Jim shook his head and hugged Sam again. “I know you have my best interests in mind. And thanks for those alterations to Bones by the way. You saved my life.”

“That’s my job as your brother,” Sam said seriously. “And we’d better go join the rest. Your prince keeps staring our way.”

****

Though Sam had brought Jim his clothes, he did change that night into the sleeping robe he’d been given by Spock their first night together. He liked it, it was soft not scratchy at all, and it had been presented to him by Spock.

As he pulled it on, he was aware of Spock watching him very intently.

“You want some tea?” Jim asked.

“No.”

Jim walked over to their bed and sat next to Spock who sat up against the headboard. “What is it?” He reached for Spock’s hand, grasped it.

“Your brother tried to talk you into leaving?” Spock made it a question but at the same time, Jim was certain it was a statement.

Jim was about to ask how Spock knew but then he shook his head. “Our bond?”

“I try not to invade your privacy but they were powerful thoughts.”

“He’s concerned that I might be pressured into something I don’t want or am not ready for.”

Spock looked down at their entwined hands. “A valid concern.”

“Is it? What about you, Spock? The same could be said for you. Are you being forced into this because of some ancient Vulcan belief that was abandoned hundreds of years ago?”

For a long time Spock did not respond and when he did it was to speak very softly. “Negative. I suppose there are elements of that. I cannot entirely deny our ways of bonding are not something I can easily dismiss, but I want this, Jim. I want this bond with you.”

Jim watched him, aware he was not quite finished.

“But I would never want you to stay here if this is not what you want. I will always be grateful for your breaking the curse placed upon me and my family, but you are not required to be part of this any longer, if you should desire a different path.”

“And the bond? Wouldn’t it hurt you if I left?”

“Perhaps, but I would endure it. And there is a chance the healers could dissolve it, if that is your wish. I will not bind you to me unwillingly, James.”

Jim leaned over and kissed Spock on the lips. “I am not unwilling.”

“You have had your doubts.”

“Sure, Humans are full of doubts, Spock. You’ve had them too. This bond works both ways.” Jim stared into his wondrous brown eyes. “When I’m with you I forget everyone else. My heart beats with yours. My mind embraces yours. Everything else, we’ll learn. Together.”

Spock drew him near and rested his forehead on Jim’s. “T’hy’la. I am gratified.”

Jim chuckled. “That’s a declaration if ever I heard one.”

To his amazement, Spock drew back and smiled. A very slight one but nevertheless, Jim saw it.

“We’re going to be okay, Spock. Better than okay, actually,” Jim declared. “We’re going to live happily ever after, you and me.”

“A Human notion.”

“Yes. But you’re half so deal with it,” Jim said with another laugh. “Our own fairytale romance.” He kissed Spock.

“Mm.”

“And now, sweetheart,” Jim breathed against Spock’s lips. “How about I show you what it is to be intimate with me?”

Spock’s breath hitched. “I would like that.”

“Yeah?”

“Indeed,” Spock murmured.

“Not sleepy?” Jim positioned himself so that he was straddling Spock.  

“I am wide awake.”

“Guess you would be after fourteen years.”

“Jim—”

“I know. Shutting up.” He leaned down to kiss Spock once more, their bond alight with excitement and anticipation of what was to come. Now. And forever.

And they did, indeed, live happily ever after.


End file.
